


Dare

by PrinnPrick



Series: LeonCloud [8]
Category: Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy I, Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Guys Night, Homosexuality, M/M, Male Homosexuality, PDA, Public Display of Affection, Secret Longing, Slash, Strifehart, Switching Perspective, Truth or Dare, deviantART, friend time, mixed-blessing, nachos, not knowing the warrior's name is my favorite dissidia joke, secret pining, some cliches are cute, trying to remain cool, zidane is kind of evil (in a good way)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-16 07:57:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21032867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrinnPrick/pseuds/PrinnPrick
Summary: Squall had been convinced (threatened) by his dorm-mate to get lost for the night, and with no other options Squall finally agreed to come to a party hosted by none other than Zidane and Bartz!But in truth, he only agreed to attend when he heard a certain blonde was coming; otherwise he might have preferred spending the night in the park.





	Dare

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a fanart piece by Mixed-blessing on Deviantart, which is featured below (https://www.deviantart.com/mixed-blessing/art/Pocky-day-185901033 <--Original link). I wanted to Gift this fic to them, but I'm not sure how unless they're a user on here (and I can't be sure the Mixed-Blessing user is the same person). 
> 
> So, Mixed-blessing of DA, if you come across this I wrote this for you!
> 
> Lately I've been getting into some very big, complicated, and rather silly/out there projects that really won't interest most people, so I decided to take a step back and return to the basics~
> 
> Just a little something cute, funny, and fluffy. 
> 
> [P.S. I've never written as Firion, Zidane, Cecil, or the Warrior of Light before. So, this is also my chance to play with some new characters! And yes, I have played all their games to completion as well as Dissidia.]

\-----------------------------------

"This is stupid."

"Then why did you agree to come?"

"Because my dorm-mate wanted some privacy with his girlfriend."

"Still," Firion reasoned gently as he grabbed the dice and tossed them with a careful hand across the board. "You could have gone somewhere else."

"Well," Squall sighed and crossed his legs as he slouched further into the couch. One elbow planted itself into the arm and his hand cradled his cheek. "Zidane and Bartz have been begging me to come for so long... I figured this was as good a time as any."

"Yes! Twelve!" Firion seemed to have lost interest in what Squall was saying as he grabbed his purple piece and happily clapped the plastic against each square on the board. "Two more and I win!"

Squall sighed and turned his focus to the front door. _That, and I was told Cloud was coming..._

"Now we just wait until Zidane and Bartz get back," Firion began, just before raising his voice and tilting his head toward an open arch-way. "Unless they want us to take their turns?"

"We're almost done!" Called Bartz, just before he yelped.

"Touch my piece and I'll leave a doll head in your bed tonight~!" Zidane sing-songed.

Squall glared at the dark-brown wood, as if to will the bell to suddenly ring.

"You look like you're trying to shoot lasers at the door," Firion commented with a chuckle. "Who are you hoping will come?"

"..." Squall remained silent. _... I'm starting to think Zidane lied about him coming. I came late on purpose so I wouldn't be stuck in this awkward situation alone._ And, as a bonus, hopefully look aloof and mysterious to a certain blonde, but that wasn't something he was willing to acknowledge so he stuffed that idea back to the dark recesses of his mind.

"Who wants nachos?!" Zidane announced suddenly as he carried a tray with a miniature version of a nacho buffet. The tray itself was almost as long as the coffee table. Bartz followed the energetic blonde in while sucking on his pinky.

"What happened to your finger?" Firion asked as he carefully moved the board, trying not to misplace the pieces, to the ground. Squall had shuffled from the couch to help when it was clear Firion was not going to be successful without assistance.

"Thanks, guys!" Zidane set the tray down and grinned with all his teeth. Bartz had a stack of paper plates in his free hand that just barely fit on the end of the table by the tray. "As for Bartz, he burned his finger by accident when he was pouring the cheese into a bowl."

Bartz released his pinky and flopped onto the couch with a rueful smile. "Yeah, this is why I let Zidane do all the cooking. He's agile and stuff."

"What does agility have to do with cooking?"

"He can move out of the way in time to miss a big, hot glob of cheese."

That caused the group to laugh, all but Squall who shook his head. The doorbell suddenly rang and the effort it took for Squall not to jerk his head in the direction of the door was herculean. He slowly lifted his head and, with as much disinterest as he could muster, boredly looked at the door. He stood up and dusted his pants off.

"I'll get it," he announced quietly, still determined to hide the way his heart had suddenly jumped in anticipation.

"Sorry we're late," but it wasn't who Squall was hoping for. It was instead two men with silver hair, one with more of a lavender hue. "We were caught in traffic."

Squall silently stepped aside. He recognized the one who spoke and smiled gently at him as Cecil--one of the older students he occasionally worked with. Behind him came another man Squall only met once or twice before...

_What was his name again?_ Squall wondered as they passed him. He took a surreptitious peek to see if they had anyone else in tow, but there was no one. Squall scowled as he shut the door.

"Heeeey!" The rest of the boys greeted as they saw who had come in.

"Just in time! Welcome to freshly made Nacho Land!" Zidane, Squall knew, had a bit of a dark under-side that the others may or may not be aware of. He had known the blonde since high school, though they were never particularly close (even if Zidane had forced Squall to have lunch with him every day for their senior year). Despite whatever was hidden underneath the surface, Zidane always smiled and spoke with enthusiasm--no matter what the subject or the company. 

"Can confirm, cheese is hot," Bartz added. He was sort of Zidane's... "side-kick". No, maybe an "underling"? Either way, they were stuck to the hip. Even the house belonged to the two of them, but there was no sign they were dating. Zidane still hounded women daily and Bartz apparently had some long-standing crush on one of the (female) Honor students.

"That's a cute name," Firion was the type to wait in line, so to speak. The kind of guy to hold the door for everyone. He was never interested in being first, so he waited patiently as everyone else gathered plates and spoons and began to help themselves to "Nacho Land". Firion always seemed a little sad, so whether waiting was due to manners or something else Squall had no clue.

_It's none of my business anyway_, the brunette thought as he leaned against the door and watched the rest go at it. 

"Thank you very much," Cecil said, but claimed a seat at the couch instead. Cecil was one of those guys who was almost saintly he was so nice. Like Firion, he had a sadness behind his eyes, though it wasn't as obvious. Cecil was a lot like Squall in that he kept much of his thoughts and feelings to himself (and often didn't contribute to conversation other than to chuckle behind his hand), but no one felt the need to bother him about it since he always appeared cheerful.

_People only think something is wrong with the grumps of the world_, Squall thought in relation to himself. _Cecil looks like he's in more pain than me, but because he's happy to stand in a circle, says "please" and "thank you" often, and always smiles no one pushes themselves onto him... People tend to forget it's the ones who try their best to seem friendly and happy who are usually the ones in trouble._

However, even after that observation he couldn't bring himself to find interest in Cecil. _I have my own baggage to deal with... I can't help someone else carry theirs, too._

The man whose name Squall couldn't recall sat on the carpet in reach of the board and the snacks. There was literally nothing Squall knew about him, and the way the man held himself--even perched on the floor--exuded confidence, strength, and intelligence. He was intimidating, to be sure, but Zidane slung an arm around the man's shoulders like he would anyone else he considered a "buddy" anyway.

Squall contemplated his options now that it seemed like the only one he was willing to tolerate an entire "Game Night" with wouldn't be showing. It was already an hour and a half past the starting time, but the invite _had_ said it was meant to be all night.

_Not that it matters if he comes_, except that it did. "..."

The brunette jumped (just barely suppressing a gasp of surprise) as the doorbell rang once more. Squall swallowed down the lump forming in his throat and quickly pulled himself away from the door in order to answer it again. 

"... Squall," and there it was at last, that voice. That deep, careful voice that sent shivers down the brunette's spine. Squall was greeted by eyes so blue they seemed to glow and a perpetual frown framed by a beautiful face. 

"Cloud," Squall stood aside to let the blonde in. 

"Sorry I'm late. My bike needed gas." Cloud closed the door behind himself and stood close to Squall, close enough that he could whisper and still be heard. "Did you have to socialize much without me?"

"All I'll say is, 'You owe me'."

Cloud chuckled, just a little, and the edge of his soft lips just barely twitched in amusement. Squall had known Cloud since high school, but unlike Zidane he had considered Cloud a friend. They had a lot of the same classes and interests, and were even in the same junior military club (but Cloud was in Shinra Corps while Squall was in SeeD). Every time they were in the same room they would exchange glances constantly, they'd occasionally sit silently together (which was how they "hung out"), or one would catch the other studying in the library. From the outside it didn't seem like much, but to Squall it had meant everything. Once college started Cloud began to talk more, and whenever one would have to go to a friend's party or something similar the other would follow. They had mornings together at a local cafe and often ate junk food while doing homework at Cloud's. However, things began to change a good deal due to the stress of senior year. It seemed like he hardly ever got to see Cloud anymore, and most of their communication was in texts that were only answered half the time. What was going to happen once they graduated and moved away? The thought of losing Cloud forever was a painful one, but Squall was never very good at keeping the people he loved around. Instead of thinking about it, as he pulled a half-torn leaf from Cloud's golden hair and dropped it to the floor he decided he would enjoy the time he had now and worry about mourning later.

"How come you didn't text me back?"

Cloud blinked. "You texted me?"

"I always text you, blonde. In fact, I'm pretty sure you're the only one I text because I want to."

Cloud breathed a short chortle and lifted a hand to gently tug on a lock of Squall's hair. "Like you're that popular. But sorry I missed it. I've been so absent-minded lately... I'm surprised I have the grades I do."

Squall turned his head to playfully bite at Cloud's hand.

"You two stop flirting at the door and come eat or something!" Zidane called from the living room with his hands on his hips. It was then Squall noticed he had an apron on that said "Making Monkey Business". 

"We aren't flirting," both Cloud and Squall called before locking up the door and joining the others.

Squall reclaimed his seat on the couch. Cecil chuckled silently as he made room for Cloud beside the brunette.

"Okay, so we were playing a board game when you guys got in," Bartz began as he shuffled to the floor beside Firion and... that guy. "We have enough pieces to play, since we all know Cloud won't join us. And probably not Squall, either, right?"

Squall rested an arm along the back of the couch and shrugged. Cloud leaned back and moved about until he was comfortable as he nodded, which caused his thigh to brush against Squall's.

"No, we should do something we can all do," Firion insisted. He crossed his arms over Cecil's lap and smiled at Squall and Cloud. "What's the point of a Guys Game Night if you two don't do anything?"

Cloud was wearing a black, v-neck top that was almost two sizes too big for him--revealing part of the sleeveless tank underneath around his neck. It had long sleeves that the blonde tugged at until his hands were hidden. "Doesn't matter to me."

Squall stared at Cloud's covered hands with a frown. _I've never seen a man with such nice hands... I hate that he gets cold so easy._

"Squall?" The brunette looked up as Bartz called him. The younger brunette grinned. "What do you want to do? You're the one who usually isn't here, so you should choose."

_'Usually isn't here'? Does that mean Cloud has been coming without me?_ Squall did his best to ignore the sudden hurt that roiled around his stomach. He glimpsed at the blonde for only a moment before taking a long, slow breath. _He can do what he wants, Squall. You're not his master and these are his friends. But... If he has time for everyone else—? No, stop! Stop. It doesn’t matter. After all... It's none of your business._ Squall cleared his throat, the sound of which helped clear his head as well. "... Movie?"

"That's for later when we're trying to go to sleep!"

Cloud tilted his head back so that his hair was crushed down on Squall's bicep. The blonde looked up at Squall and said, "How about somethin' not too active?"

Squall had opened his mouth to respond. He wasn't sure what he might say, since he was half-distracted by Cloud's close proximity; the way his mouth remained just a little parted, the freckles on his cheeks and nose only visible from a few inches away, and the sleepy quality of his eyes.

Luckily, he didn't have to. 

"Truth or dare, then!" Zidane said triumphantly.

"Let Squall pick!" Bartz argued back.

"If Squall had his way, he'd be reading a book in another room. Truth or dare!"

Squall shrugged. "Whatever."

"All right! Let's put the board away and get the cards."

"Cards?" Squall asked before he could stop himself. _Truth or dare doesn't require cards, does it? It's truth or fucking dare._

"Zidane has the actual card game," Bartz replied with a happy jerk of his shoulders that was apparently the way he shrugged. "It'll make things both more interesting and easier, since we won't have to think about the questions or dares. Well, mostly--I think one or two still say you have to come up with stuff."

_Either way_, Squall grumbled to himself, _this is pretty childish._

Cloud looked back at Squall again with a tiny smirk. "'Fraid you'll lose, city boy?" The way Cloud spoke was more like a content feline then a challenge.

"Whatever, you country bumpkin," Squall murmured back.

Cloud chuckled and slipped a hand between them to tug on Squall's hair like before. His knuckles lightly caressing Squall's cheek.

"Perhaps we should separate you two," the eldest (whose name still escaped Squall's memory) said suddenly. "Or else you might spend each turn actively procreating through your gaze."

"What?" 

"He means they're eye-fucking each other, Bartz."

"Oh, thanks, Zidane. Yeah, they kinda are, aren't they?"

Cloud turned away with a cough as he released the brunette's hair, and Squall pinched the bridge of his nose.

When Zidane returned with the deck, he purposely sat between Squall and Cloud--and then pulled Bartz beside him to make more distance between the two, which forced Cecil to move.

"Want a chair?" Firion asked the man on the floor as he stood up. "I'm going to get me one."

"Yes, thank you."

Once everyone had a place to sit (ignoring how both Squall and Cloud were displeased with the seating arrangement) Zidane began to shuffle the cards.

"Okay, this is how it works," he began as he skillfully flipped the entire deck back and forth between his hands while hardly paying attention. He almost looked like a real card dealer. "So, it's one deck," Zidane sat it down on the table over a paper towel in the middle of Nacho Land (not the wisest decision, but it wasn't Squall's deck so he just rolled his eyes), "and each time it's one of our turns we just grab the card on top, choose a person, ask the thing, and then the card tells us what that person has to answer or do. Simple, yeah?"

Zidane, of course, picked a card first. Bartz frowned at him, but said nothing.

"We'll go clockwise and I'll start. That means me, Bartz, Cloud, Cecil, Firion, you, and then Squall."

Everyone nodded. Squall quirked a brow, but the man didn't seem to notice his name hadn't been used.

"Isn't it supposed to be the one who gets called on who goes next, though?”

"How about..." Zidane tapped his chin and hummed thoughtfully. "Well, the game doesn't say how often you can call on someone. We could end up picking on the same person if we all wanted to, so... Okay, scrap the turn order thing! Whoever gets called, it's your turn. That way it can stay fair."

"Much better," Firion agreed.

"Okay, then," Zidane flipped his card and grinned like a shark. "Cecil! Truth or dare."

oo00oo00oo

Maybe it was because he was clearly a private person, but it took a long time until someone finally called on Squall. Everyone but himself and Cloud had gone at least once, if not twice. _So much for a fair turn basis_, he thought. Not that he was really complaining.

So far, Cecil had been forced to admit he's afraid of bees and later revealed in another round that he used to be engaged, Bartz had to drink a teaspoon of hot sauce (and then didn't learn, chose 'Dare' again, and had to stand on his head for five minutes), Firion turned out to have an obsession with roses, Zidane admitted he was bi-sexual (which led to some awkward questions from Bartz, which then led to Zidane dumping the chips on his head), and the Guy surprisingly chose 'Dare' both times and had to drink an entire glass of beer in under a minute before later licking his own armpit. 

"I question the legitimacy of those cards."

"No complaining!" Bartz announced as he grabbed a card. "Squall," he began, which seemed to perk everyone's interest, "truth or dare?"

It wasn't a big deal, but everyone seemed genuinely curious and seemed to lean in a little. Squall quirked a brow as he pretended to consider which he'd rather risk while actually gauging everyone and questioning their sudden interest in him.

_Am I that much of an enigma to these people...? I'm not that interesting._

"Seems you're in a bind, Leonhart," Cloud piped up, for the first time in almost two hours. He stared hard at the brunette across Bartz and Zidane's heads (Zidane was rather short and Bartz was slouching). "Either you have to actually talk about yourself," Cloud spoke in a sarcastic, playfully dramatic manner, "or you have to humiliate yourself."

"Is that a challenge, Strife?"

"You bet it is."

"Fine. You pick."

Cloud, only for half a second, looked like a cat who caught a canary. He sat straighter in his seat and said, "Squall wants Truth."

Bartz shrugged. "Okay! The card says--"

Zidane snatched the card in Bartz's hand away. 

"Hey!"

"Use this one," Zidane offered instead and seemed to exchange a look with Cloud. Zidane winked and Squall twitched. A few minutes ago Zidane and Cloud had left the room; Zidane wanted chocolate from the freezer and Cloud needed the restroom. It didn't seem suspicious... 

_Did those two blonde shits plan this? Since when have Zidane and Cloud teamed up?_ A part of Squall felt something ugly, angry, and green well up deep inside him, and the pain that had swirled from before roared in his guts again... but he shoved it down until there was no threat he might accidentally show or act on it.

"Isn't that cheating?" Cecil piped up, but he didn't seem that concerned. He looked to the Man-with-no-name who waved a dismissive hand. Firion just stared curiously at the card.

"Okay, fine," Bartz snapped. "_This_ card, that I'm being forced to use, says, 'Have you ever'--wait! This is the same card Cecil had to answer!"

"Just read it, dip shit," Zidane nudged the brunette with his elbow.

"Fine! Squall, ya ever been in love before? And who was it?"

Squall blinked and his eyes widened. He stared first at Bartz, who didn't seem too interested, and then at Zidane. He glared at the blonde, which only made his friend's sly grin widen to sadistic levels. Squall's steel-blue eyes swam to Cloud next, who, despite his moments ago gusto, was staring at the rug and turning a light pink. 

"... Yes," Squall said carefully. He turned his gaze to what was left of the nacho tray and planted it there firmly. 

"Who, though?" If Zidane had a tail, it'd be wagging he was sure.

"Does the card say I have to give a name?"

"It says 'and say who', doesn't it?"

Squall pressed his lips together until they were a thin line.

"... Fine. But no where in the rules did it say I have to admit it to the whole group, so I'll tell Bartz _only_."

Bartz looked up with a surprised jerk of his head. "You only wanna tell _me_?"

"That's not fair, Squally," Zidane playfully argued, but thankfully he wasn't really trying to be a brat about it. No one else objected, either--perhaps because when it was Cecil's turn they told him he didn't have to give details if it hurt.

Bartz suddenly looked like a happy puppy. He practically elbowed Zidane out of the way to sit next to Squall and leaned in.

"You tell anyone I'll bite you, got it?" Squall whispered first into his ear. He looked up in time to catch Cloud looking back, and then frowning like he was annoyed as Squall leaned closer toward Bartz. 

Bartz's eyes glittered with excitement and he nodded right away. 

"I-It's... I'm... I'm in-love with," Squall's heart felt like it might burst out of his chest. The stuttering he suddenly couldn’t control made him feel five again. The brunette shut his eyes tight, took a long, steadying breath, and said in a voice barely audible, "It's Cloud." Then he sat back up quickly with a deep frown.

Bartz's whole body seized up for a second, and then he smiled. When he sat back up he nodded at Squall. "Your secret is safe with me!" He turned back to Zidane and Cloud. "Ha! That's what you get for cheating!"

Zidane just smiled back and blew a piece of his hair out of his face. "All right, your turn Squall."

Squall leaned forward toward the deck and grabbed a card. _I'm fairly certain it's extremely obvious I'm going to pick Zidane or Cloud. Should I do the unexpected and pick Firion instead?_ Squall quickly read the card and smirked to himself. _Obvious it is, then._

"Zidane, truth or dare."

Zidane, normally so confident, seemed to quail a little in the face of Squall's slightly evil expression. He cleared his throat, hopped in his seat, and smiled flirtatiously. "Dare me, baby~"

"The card says you have to jump into a pool fully clothed or make out with the person to your right for ten minutes."

Zidane turned to Bartz (who was still sitting to the right of him after they switched seats) and they stared, almost horrified, at each other. The blonde stood up with a dark blush. "Pool it is."

"Or," Squall finally added, "if there is no pool and the other person refuses, you can also let another player make you a drink and try to drink the whole thing in under a minute."

Zidane whipped back. "Drink! Do I get to choose who makes it?"

Squall stood from the couch, still smirking. "I'll do it." He declared darkly before walking around the couch and toward the kitchen. Zidane looked like he might have signed his own death warrant. "You guys can continue the game without me. This will take a minute."

Squall heard someone pull up from the couch. "... I'll... make sure it isn't deadly, at least." It was Cloud, who joined him around the corner. Squall had a chance to get one last peek at Zidane, who seemed to be contemplating the option to make out with Bartz instead. Bartz, on the other hand, scooted down the couch.

"Nasty trick there, Strife," Squall whispered as he walked to what he knew was a liquor cabinet. (Just because he didn't come to Game nights often didn't mean he didn't visit.) His hand was on the door handle when the breath was suddenly forced out of him. He had expected Cloud to make some sort of sarcastic quip, like usual, but this time the blonde remained silent as he snaked his arms tight around Squall's waist from behind, pressed him hard against the counter, and planted his face in the nook of Squall's neck.

They stood there for what seemed like forever, with Squall trying to both ignore the feeling of Cloud's hips pressed against his ass as well as the way his lungs had suddenly shrunk, when Cloud asked in a sad, low voice, "... Is it me?" 

"H-Huh...?"

"Is it me?"

"..." Squall released the cabinet door and leaned into the counter for balance. Between the sudden shock to his system and the blonde's weight completely against his back, it was hard to hold himself upright. The brunette squeezed Cloud's hand. "Why do you... um..."

"You only like spendin' time with me. You stare at me like I'm somethin' amazing. You always want to sit next to me, you find ways to put an arm around me without touchin' me, you only text _me_ willingly," Cloud nuzzled into Squall's neck, just above the collar of the brunette's shirt. "You let me play with your hair, too, and I know how much you hate people touchin' your hair..." Cloud lifted his face from Squall's neck, but only so he could breathe into his brown locks instead. Squall knew there was no way Cloud would miss the shiver that elicited. "Am I just.. readin' this wrong?" Cloud's arms tightened and the sadness in his voice grew. "Squall... do you want me?"

Squall's heart was beating fast enough to almost drown out Cloud's words, but he heard them none-the-less. _It's now or never. It's hard to be honest when I know I might lose him no matter what I do, but I have to be strong. If I'm going to lose him anyway... I'd rather he know. That way I won't wonder later._ So resolved, he squeezed Cloud's arms with both hands this time and closed his eyes before saying, "... Yeah. I want you, Cloud."

"Do you... Do you love me?"

"... Yeah, I do."

Cloud slowly released Squall, and suddenly the world felt like it might be crumbling. _And this is the part where he tells me 'no' and claims we can still be friends, but then will avoid me until we're just strangers..._

But that didn't happen. Cloud pushed and pulled at Squall's slightly stubborn hips until Squall was facing Cloud, much like he might his own execution... Until he noticed Cloud was smiling. And it wasn't one of his barely-there, tiny smiles but it was full and lit his face up. Squall couldn't help but stare; Cloud had always been pretty, but when his face was so relaxed and he looked so genuinely pleased he was _gorgeous_.

"Good," the blonde said, just before leaning forward. Squall's brain went into sudden black-out as Cloud pressed their lips together. He had to grab at Cloud's large top to keep from teetering he became so dizzy from sensation overload. There was an electric current flowing from Cloud's lips down to Squall's toes and back up to his head. When they separated, Cloud looked particularly smug. "Boyfriend."

"Boyfriend..."

Cloud nodded and smirked. "Yep."

"... You're my boyfriend now?"

Cloud nodded again and leaned in for another kiss as he said, "and you're all mine." However, before Squall had the chance to really enjoy it (his brain was still rebooting) Cloud pulled away. "Now, let's make a drink so potent Zidane will think he's princess of Alexandria."

Squall didn't respond to that. Instead, he lassoed Cloud into another hug and held him so tight it almost hurt. He couldn't help it, though; nor could he help the way his mouth crashed onto Cloud's with the intent to taste every corner of the inside of his mouth. Squall kissed the blonde senseless until they were forced to separate for air.

"But I have... a rule..." Cloud breathed hard against Squall's lips. Their eyes met and Cloud said gently, "No more whisperin' in someone else's ear, okay?"

"Possessive."

"Yep."

"Fine. Then no more secret plots with Zidane."

"Secret plots okay with other people, then?"

"Shut up," Squall chuckled and kissed him again, but only briefly. He finally let go in order to peruse the liquor cabinet. Cloud planted his chin on Squall's shoulder and hugged him from behind in a loose hold as the brunette got to work.

oo00oo00oo

When the new couple returned, they chose to sit on opposite ends of the couch like they did before. With both itching to put their hands on each other, it was considered best to have a little distance... though they did link their fingers together along the back of the couch. Zidane was forced to drink a cocktail that had been colored pitch black. The blonde complained that he could swear the drink was bubbling like a witch's cauldron, but he received no sympathy. He finally drank the entire thing after a full minute of cringing, and seconds later the effect was obvious. 

Now Zidane was passed out behind the couch hugging a pillow shaped like a fish. Firion had covered him up with a blanket.

"My turn," Cecil said pleasantly. "Cloud, truth or dare?"

"... Dare." 

"Okay," Cecil held the card delicately. "You can either lick the carpet or floor, do the cinnamon challenge, or feed the person to your right with your mouth."

Cloud looked to his right. Bartz was still between them, but his eyes were right on Squall. "Does it say the immediate right?"

"No."

The blonde smirked in a way that had Squall's brow (and his cock) twitching. _Shit... Something about knowing we're together now makes that damn smirk so much hotter._

"I'll take the last option, then."

Cloud stood up and grabbed a nacho chip as Bartz moved into the place Cloud had occupied to give them room. He dipped it in salsa first and put the end with nothing on it in his mouth before boldly settling into Squall's lap. Squall's hands curled into tight fists as Cloud adjusted himself until he was straddling his boyfriend's hips and presented the chip. Squall opened his mouth and bit the end with salsa off before the chunks of tomato and chilies could fall. However, Cloud didn't seem satisfied with that and pressed the chip again to his mouth, though it was only a corner now. Their lips brushed, pressed, and Squall took the last of the chip with his face burning hotter than he could recall. He frowned at Cloud, who was smiling shamelessly at him. 

_Who knew someone so quiet was actually so... "dominant"? Is that the word?_

"Oh my," Cecil cleared his throat. "Uh... Cloud's turn, I guess." Firion was watching them placidly, and Bartz had been snacking on plain chips like it was popcorn and they were a movie, but Cecil looked like he was ready to burst into flames. The man who sat beside him pat Cecil's shoulder soothingly.

"Though I am gratified to observe the blossoming of your long-awaited union, Cloud, I would consider temporarily parting lest you give Cecil cardiac arrest."

"What's that mean?"

"... He means he's glad I snagged Squall, but Cecil can't handle watching, Bartz."

"Oh! Thanks, Cloud."

"I c-can so! I just--" Cecil muttered as he hid his face in his hands.

Cloud tried to get up, but Squall held his hips down. Cecil was busy defending himself to Bartz and the... guy, so the blonde leaned forward as Squall whispered, "... 'long-awaited'...?"

"... Since the day I met you back in high school. But I was so shy then, and you were always kind of angry. I was afraid I'd annoy you if I said anythin'." Cloud slid his hands through Squall's hair and leaned forward to kiss his scar. "I asked Zidane for help... Now that it's senior year, you might move away and... I was worried I'd have to sit back and watch someone else take you while I was being a coward."

"..." 

"It's also why I've been kind of ignorin' some of your texts and not hangin' out as often. I've been at that cross-road for a while, just been burstin' to tell you. But... what if I did? What if you said no?"

"I'd never say 'no' to you, Cloud. Never have, not even when you were stealing my food."

Cloud chuckled. "True, but I had to make a decision: try or always wonder if we could'a had somethin' great. What about you? When did you know you liked me...?"

"Since the day... I saw you."

"Saw me?"

"We hadn't officially met yet. It was our sophomore Military Club Ball. They made us wear our respective faction uniforms... I remember you were wearing that Shinra get-up and standing in the middle of the floor--awkward and confused after one your gal pals forced you off the side-line. Tifa, I believe."

"I remember that... You looked like a prince in your SeeD outfit."

Squall nipped Cloud's lips. "... I thought you were beautiful."

Cloud clenched tight around Squall before he suddenly pulled back. Cloud looked to the other three who had somehow gotten into a semi-heated discussion about... _something_ (it was hard to tell, they were talking over each other), and then Cloud quickly leaped from Squall's lap and pulled the brunette after him. They carefully walked over Zidane and into the hallway.

"Cloud, what--?"

"I'm done playin' games and I'm too impatient to drag you home first."

"Oh... But isn't this a bit soon? We just got together not even an hour ago."

"We've been dancin' around each other for two years, and then playing 'not-quite-but-almost' for three. So... Not too soon for me, but we can just cuddle. The rest can wait for when you're ready," Cloud dragged Squall into a room at the end of the hall. "Either way, I want you and me in bed, and in the mornin' you're takin' me to get pancakes."

Squall snorted. "Who knew you were so bossy..." He smiled as he spoke, though.

Cloud turned to Squall after closing the door and pulled him into a swift kiss. "Like you don't like it."

"Shut up."

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I am considering doing more with these versions of Cloud and Squall (that means there might be a sequel. Maybe. Don’t hold me to it!)
> 
> And, yes, I may write Cloud’s version leading up to when he rings the doorbell. Maybe. Also don’t hold me to it!


End file.
